Legislator hosts small business workshop

Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages held a small-business workshop and emphasized the importance of professional development in Nassau County on March 21.

Vikas Girdhar/ Herald

Vikas Girdhar

Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages hosted a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Workshop to “empower your business” on March 21 at Elmont Memorial Library. Solages, of Elmont, invited LaGuardia Community College Business Services Director Paisley Demby to present class of the Goldman Sachs program to the 20 small business owners that attended the workshop.

Solages prefaced Demby’s presentation by emphasizing that small business development is crucial for Nassau County and that much of the potential for any business depends on the mindset of its owner or team leader. Demby led the two-hour workshop and split the class up into four groups of five for an interactive experience. Demby taught the importance of remaining positive, envisioning success and how to effectively lead a team of employees.

Attendees of the workshop reacted positively and sought out Demby afterwards for more information on the full program. Deepak Dave, one participant and director of operations at the Ramada Rockville Centre, said that the experience was an eye-opener and a great idea by Solages because it reflects his dedication to developing small business in his district and the county.

“It was very interesting and educational and you leave here extremely motivated,” Dave said. “You feel compelled to do more. I came here expecting to fall asleep and it wasn’t that at all. [They] did a great job.”

Sid Tanenbaum, who lived in Woodmere and owned a metal-stamping shop in Far Rockaway, where he was known more for his charitable ways than his two-handed set shot, has been honored for the past 30 years with a basketball tournament that raises scholarship money for students in the Five Towns.